Fallout: Revelations
by DeathJaw
Summary: Life in vault 84 isn't easy on any of its occupants. Day in and day out some a vast majority of the population is kept locked within the vault due to the dangers of the outside world. Over the radio there are tales of a land untouched by the polluted swampland that now dominated the Gulf. Its name... Orlando, a technological marvel unlike any other.
1. Introduction

War. War never changes.

Since the dawn of time war has been waged over the most trivial of things. Whether it be over things such as a difference in government, lack of resources, or even religion. However, in 2077 a war unlike any other rose to a head. Oil reserves were at an all-time low, the Chinese and Americans were at each other's throats for what oil remained in Alaska. Those called religious nuts preached that when it came time to cleanse the earth again it would be fire. How right they were yet not even they could've predicted what happened to earth.

Nuclear fire consumed the planet, hundreds of millions died as the bombs were dropped. Lives were ruined, families destroyed, children spent their final moments curled beneath their blankets hoping it was all a dream. The sad truth of reality was that this was no dream. This was human nature at work. Nuclear fallout claimed millions more. While some did survive on the surface, there were those who had made it to safety... We call them Vault Dwellers.

Countless numbers of these vaults were built and within people were kept saved from the hell those on the surface were forced to suffer. There was food and water enough to last these individuals for decades if not centuries and when the time came they embarked from their vaults back into the wild.

The Gulf Commonwealth, consisting of Alabama, Louisiana and Florida returned to what they had once been swamps. Throughout the gulf mutant creatures unlike any others found in the wasteland wandered. However, there are rumors a city that has survived the carnage and destruction of the world above. Orlando, a technological marvel unlike any other. Whose amusement parks still stand as monuments that light the surrounding landscapes.

It is the goal of the occupants of Vault 84 to reach this holy land of sorts. Once a year scouts are sent out to find a path to Orlando... Yet none return. It is this vault where our story begins.


	2. Determination

Hands digging into my hair I shut my eyes, today was the day... Yet another scouting party would be condemned to go out into the wilds on some mission to find this Holy Land that the overseer speaks of. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest at the thought. How could one possibly continue to waste lives so frivolously? The people sent out there had families, lovers, friends who sat in the vault waiting. Praying for their return, and up there on his pedestal, the overseer acted as though none of that mattered. Opening my eyes again I looked at the memorial that had been made to cement those who had given their lives and journeyed out into the wastes. For the past 8 years' group, after group have marched out into the wastes, all they had were the clothes on their back, a sack of food, and their trusty pip-boy. It wasn't till three years prior that some had been permitted the use of weapons.

My sister was one of those who had been chosen for the scouting party... It's been a year since I'd seen her face, despite us being twins we couldn't be more different. Where her hair was akin to a brunette color, mines was black. While she was adored by the inhabitants of the vault I was despised or ignored. Where she was the favorite, I could've been the red-headed step child. Yet even then we shared the same green eyes. She was still my sister, and was the closest thing I had to a best friend on top of that. None ever thought me and Serah could be related much less twins, but it didn't matter to me. I knew the truth.

Hand reaching out I touched the picture devoted to her on the memorial. "I'm coming, I don't care what they say. The overseer can kick me out for all I care, but I'm coming to find you. I know you're still out there, I can feel it." I couldn't risk others hearing me so my voice never rose above a whisper. Before I knew it, I felt two streams of liquid falling down my cheeks. My heart ached, my head hurt. Was this how it felt to have your heartbroken? There was no one else... When I had been brought into this hazardous world, my father left not even a year later. His toll had come due and he passed away. My mother was much the same, she couldn't stand it when Serah left, it was almost as if she had given up on living.

"I hope you're both watching, this time I'll make you proud. I'll find Serah, I'll discover Orlando, and I will lead our people to it." Raising my head, I gave one final sniff. Now wasn't the time for tears. It was the time for action. Looking up over the memorial and to the window that overlooked the main dining area of the vault I saw the Overseer's chambers. Soon he'd be debriefing the next scouting party, but I needed to talk to him before that. I needed to be on that team. No matter what.

Turning I bumped straight into someone who was slightly taller than me. Their body was a mountain of muscle, they had nearly knocked me off my feet as they pushed back against me. "Get off me" Hands reaching out I was able to keep upright by using the memorial for support. I wasn't out of shape, but neither was I some meathead who spent all their time working out. "What are you doing Nik? Crying again?! I've never met any man who was as much of a bitch." Said the all too familiar voice. The voice alone set a flame in my heart. A flame that threatened to consume me, I wanted nothing more than to bash this persons' skull in. Since day one of starting school he'd bullied me, at every turn undermined me, even now that we were both twenty he hadn't ceased the shenanigans. He was tall, standing at about six foot three, his hair a neat blonde and combed back. His eyes a bright blue. Hitler would have a wet dream about this man. His name you ask? Aaron.

"I don't have time for you or your antics Aaron," I said trying to skirt around the individual for him to step in my path once again.

"What you can't even look me in the eyes anymore?"

"I'd rather not, I'd rather not lose any more brain cells talking to you than I already have." My voice came out clear, clear enough for all those within the cafeteria to hear. Those who didn't dislike me simply didn't care, but the insult was something that was new. I was tired of being bullied. Tired of being beneath Aaron's thumb. Fists tightening, I prepared to swing on him.

"Da fuck you say?!" Aaron asked his two meaty hands rose grasping my vault jumper. I could feel the fabric stretching as he then pushed me backward into the wall. "You think you're brave? Think that just because you're one of the vaults eggheads that you can't be beaten? Don't worry I'll fix that for you!"

"Aaron! Drop him!" This voice came from across the cafeteria and was clear as day. I knew this one just as well as I did Aaron's yet I did not despise this person. Nor had she ever done anything mean to me. Amarita, a brown skinned beauty. Between her and Serah most of the younger male occupants were kept busy. Amarita's eyes were a shade of amber, one unlike any others in the vault and even in the Vault-Tec jumper she still drew stares from those who sat down eating. One man off to the right was even slapped by his wife. "You were looking for a fight with him, and this is not the time. We have to get ready."

Looking past Aaron at me with a look of disinterest Amarita nodded her head for me to leave. "Get out of here, before I change my mind," Aaron growled, stuffing his hands into his jumper Aaron went to Amarita leaving me alone.

I wanted to thank Amarita, my mind going as fast as a freight train yet no words came to mind. I needed to say something, anything would be better than standing there looking dumbfounded. "Thanks," I mumbled though it seemed I had missed my chance as neither her nor Aaron were in the cafeteria. The tension that had filled the air was now gone and those within the cafeteria simply returned to their meals no longer interested in me.

Despite no one looking in my direction, I felt as though everyone was watching me. Why was that? Why did they care what I do? Scoffing I made my way out of the cafeteria and into the halls of the vault. The steel walls were freshly painted and the floors waxed. So much so I could see my reflection in the cool steel. Every part of the vault looked the same if I'm being completely honest. Large metallic doors that separated the numerous chambers, staircases in every other corridor that led to the upper or lower levels. The facility itself always smelt like disinfectant spray. One would think that it would be easy to navigate such a place when you spent your entire life living there, but how wrong they were. Even I still got turned around at times, especially when trying to get to the Overseer's office.

Standing outside the door I straightened my jumper. Looking into the steel door I saw my black hair was messed, strands of it sticking up others smoothed down. Rubbing my hands through it I tried to smooth it down to no avail. With a sigh, I raised my hand prepared to knock but before I could do so the door slid open revealing the Overseer's office.

The closest thing I could compare the Overseer's office to was the office of a principal that we saw in films. There were no pictures that adorned the walls, on the left-hand side of the room there were lockers filled with... Well quite honestly, I didn't know. Perhaps files on the current and past occupants of the vault? On the right a large sturdy steel case, now that. I knew what was inside of it. A set of personal arms for the Overseer to make use of in case of emergencies. In the center of the room was a large wooden desk on it numerous terminals with storage chips spread haphazardly across its surface. Behind in desk sat Overseer Teague.

Teague was the latest Overseer to look over Vault 84. It was almost like the title of Overseer was a title of heredity as only those of the Teague line had been tasked with the oversight of the Vault and its occupants. Teague was a man approaching his late fifties, his hair, or what little remained was graying. His beard more so. Beneath his eyes were dark circles from a lack of sleep and his eyes bloodshot. Behind him, on a nightstand, a radio sat playing a classical sonata. Without even raising his head from the terminals  
Teague waved me in before swiftly activating the door.

Right hand reaching up Teague pinched the bridge of his long, hooked nose. "What is it now Nikolas? Is this about a lack of supplies in the lab?"

"No." Opening my mouth to give my reasoning for being there I was cut off as Teague continued on asking questions.

"Is there a problem with the water chip for our reservoir?"

"N-"

"Then what is it, boy?! Spit it out! I don't have all day."

"Well, sir this is actually about the scouting party..." Stopping I waited to see if Teague would interrupt me again. After a few seconds, I continued on. "I'd like to join the scouting party on their mission. It's been a year since my sister left, and I feel it is my duty. No, my responsibility to go retrieve her."

Breathing heavily Teague sat back in his chair and looked up at me. His hands steeped in his lap as his eyes looked me up and down. "I'm sorry son, the scouting parties were three months ago. They've been trained already. You are lacking such training, you're not prepared to go out there."

"But Aaron Jaquar is?! He could barely pass his GOAT exam! I passed it with flying colors! I've been studying about the Gulf Commonwealth since I was old enough to read! I know about the cities out there!"

"That was pre-war knowledge! Quite frankly no one knows what's out there besides swamp! All those cities could've been consumed by the swamp or even inhabited by raiders, and only god knows what else!"

"Yet you still waste lives sending people looking for Orlando?! Why?"

Hands slapping down onto his desk, pale skin now bright red Teague rose from his seat. "We are running out of food, we are literally drinking our own piss though you'd never be able to tell. Our people are tired of being cooped up! If there is any hope for those rumors being true of Orlando surviving the bombs dropping I will risk anything for us to reach it. Anyone... Even if it meant myself."

"Then risk me!"

"I can't do that. We need you here, what if something were to go wrong with the Vault in your absence? There are only three individuals who can even comprehend the electronics that keep this facility alive."

"But"

"Enough buts! My decision has been made. Return to your quarters, Mr. Maller!"

I wanted to say more, but even I knew when to not push my luck. From between clenched teeth, I answered. "Yes, sir." The response was sharp, the rage was evident in how I said the words. As I walked away I could feel Teague's eyes in the center of my back. Leaving the office, I waited for it to shut before I began the march back to my quarters. My hands were clenched so tight that I felt the sharp bite of my own nails as they dug into my palms. "I don't need your approval, I don't need anyone's approval," I mumbled to myself head bowed low so none could see the tears in my eyes. These weren't tears of sadness, they were or sheer hatred and rage. The fire within me burned like a nova as the decision was made. The die cast. 

I returned to my chambers within were two beds. One had once been Serah's, between them a nightstand and on it a picture of our family. Sitting on the bed I looked at the picture a finger reaching out to stroke Serah's cheek. "I'm coming." Reaching a hand beneath my bunk I pulled out a bag. One stuffed with enough ration bars to last me a month, with a few extra jumpers and even a homemade laser musket with a few power cells. The lab wouldn't miss them too much... At least I hoped they wouldn't. Shrugging on the pack I cast one more look to the portrait. Sliding the picture out of its casing I folded it and tucked it within my robes. I was ready...


	3. The First Step

"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you." Ever since I was a child this has been a phrase that was sacred to me and my sister. One that even in our twenties we said to each other... They were the last words she said to me before she embarked on the Overseer's mission. Even I must admit that the quote was sappy, but it was ours and that meant more to me than the entirety of the vault. However, over the past year, I've seen just how true those words were. Without Serah I was forced to become more resourceful, without her I was forced to stand on my own. Without Serah everything I knew had changed, my entire being had changed. I was that scrawny, antisocial nerd that people loved to pick on, to knock down. Now I was going against the overseer, I was no longer that same person.

A majority of the inhabitants of the Vault were off either eating their lunch or completing their daily tasks. The only ones who would be in my way would be those delegated to enter the wastes. Yet none would question it, at least I hoped it would be too late for them to question it. Looking down to the pip-boy on my wrist I saw the time and my heart nearly froze... I was late, the delegates would be leaving in mere moments. Where had, the time gone? Was I so deep into my own little world that I'd lost track of time? Either way, I had to make it to the exit. The vault was only opened once a year and if I missed it now I'd have to wait yet another year. For all, I knew Serah was being held hostage, eaten by some creature in the Everglades, possibly even dead. No... She wasn't. I would've felt it, somehow, I just knew Serah was out there. She had survived all this time, I could only pray she lasted a bit longer.

Breaking out into a full-on sprint I ran for the Vault exit. My booted feet hammered against the steel floor as my vision became akin to a tunnel. Everything except the path in front of me was outside no longer a factor. There was a set of stairs that would lead up to the exit, three flights... I wouldn't let that stop me. Taking the stairs three at a time I bounded up them. The sharp clank of my boots on the metal rang out, by the time I reached the top my forehead was covered in perspiration. My hearts rhythm was completely off and my breathing was haggard. Clutching at the front of the blue and yellow vault jumper I gulped in mouthfuls of air. I tried to calm my body but it wouldn't listen. The underarms of the jumper had even grown dark from the sweat. Before me, I saw the scouting party. Like me they were dressed in the Vault 84 jumpers, however, on top of it they wore body armor. It wasn't full body, more so just pieces of steel shaped to cover their vital areas. Shins, chest, and arms. It was a new touch, none before had been sent out with such gear. Across their backs were refurbished laser rifles, far superior to my musket in terms of they didn't have to crank before they could fire another round. Along with the rifle, each has a pistol on their hip. It was almost as if they were going to war.

I knew that both Amarita and Aaron had been two of those chosen for the scouting party but the other two were also familiar faces. All the inhabitants of the vault knew each other, some more intimately than others. The other two were some I knew but had never truly gotten the chance to converse with. One was a male that stood taller than even Aaron, his head was freshly shaved and on his skin, was a tan people would kill for. His name you ask? Damien. While Aaron may have been a mountain of muscle Damien was Everest. The Vault jumper seemed strained trying to contain his massive form as it contoured perfectly to his body. While the others were equipped with just a rifle and pistol Damien had been granted a shotgun with a cylindrical drum.

To the right of Damien stood Claire. Claire was a girl short in stature but her body was lithe like a dancer. She did not have the curves of Amarita, but her body was unique in its own way. Her entire body was toned to the point where other females found themselves being jealous. Which while she was lacking up top her lower half was enough to catch anyone's attention. It was obvious that this team had been chosen due to their athletic abilities, that would be my in. None of them were engineers, none of them knew how to work on technology the same way I did. They would be going out into a swamp, mechanical weapons and swamps don't get along and they'd need someone to repair their weapons. Possibly even hack into terminals and such.

Regaining my composure I rose to my full height, back straight, chest out and a determination in my step I hoped I looked half as confident as I felt. Off to the right and standing behind a terminal was a fellow vault dweller. He wasn't joining in on the mission, he was simply there to let everyone out. "You all..." Stopping he looked over to me. "Where do you think, you're going?" The technician asked drawing everyone else's attention to me.

Looking up from their preparations the chosen all had looks on their faces ranging from confusion to outright bafflement. "Nik?" Aaron asked his eyebrows furrowing and lips pressing together.

"My request to join the scouting party was accepted by overseer Teague. He said you'd all possibly need an engineer for either your weapons or hacking terminals."

"I was told nothing about this..." The technician said his eyes narrowing slightly. "I would check with the overseer but if the overseer granted you permission it is not my place to question it."

"No, he's going to do nothing but hold us back!" Aaron shouted his face slowly changing to a cherry red.

"Well tell me this, do you know how to repair those weapons of yours if you get mud clogged in its systems, how to fix your pip-boy? How to utilize it to open other vaults we could possibly come across. For that point, do you even know what creatures once inhabited the everglades of Florida?"

Damien laughed a large hand rising to his belly as he held himself upright. The laugh was like a rich chocolate that one couldn't get enough of. "He has a point... Welcome aboard."

"If you're done arguing it's time for you to leave, time is of the essence." Pressing a few buttons on the terminal a large door opened into what was akin to an airlock. Klaxon alarms blared as the door was opened.

The first to enter the airlock was Damien followed by Amarita, then the rest. I was the last in. Casting a glance at the technician I noticed a faint, knowing smile. "Good luck." He mouthed. The words were drowned out by the sirens forcing me to read the technicians lips but I got the gist. Offering a smile of my own I entered pulling the door shut behind me.

The airlock was lit red by the lights which lined the walls. The klaxon sound now echoed off the walls with no way to escape. It made me want to rip my ears off but I bore through the pain. Then all at once, three things happened. The lights flickered to a sickly green glow, the klaxons were replaced with an obnoxious buzzing, and the large vault door ahead of us began to creek open.

The sound of metal on metal now assaulted my ears as the vault was pulled open. In an instant, we were all hit by an intense heat, not the dry heat of the vaults. No, this heat was one that made it feel like you could cut the air with a dagger. It was almost harder to breathe than it was inside the vault. Without even waiting for the rest of us Aaron walked forward rifle in hand. Following his lead, the others drew their own rifles while Damien carried his shotgun in two hands.

Drawing the laser musket, I grabbed the lever that stuck off to the side of it. The cranking sound echoed off the wall and the others looked to me and my weapon. Rolling his eyes Aaron took the first step out of the vault. It wasn't the type of the first step someone wanted to take either. It was off into murky water that went up to his knees.

"Ugh!" That was the sound Amarita made as she hopped into the water. Where it went up to Aaron's knees it was up to her thighs. The same could be said for Claire. Damien? The water was high enough to just pass his chins. Following the others lead, I stepped off into the water with a loud splash. The water was warm and came up to my knees. The ground beneath it was thick and uneven. It would be near impossible to cross through the swamp at a decent pace. It almost felt as if I was standing knee deep in vomit.

"It could be worse," I said trying to lighten the mood. Though from the looks Amarita and Claire shot me they weren't impressed. From behind us came the raucous shriek of metal which nearly made me jump out of my skin. All of us turned weapons raised to see the vault door closing. This was it, there would be no returning till we either completed our mission or were lost to the Everglades for all time.

Gulping I turned back to the others. "So should we see-"

"Listen up, the overseer might have let you on this mission, but it doesn't mean we have to like it," Aaron said rounding on me. "You will do nothing but hold us back, so when any of us tell you to do something do it. If we say take cover do it if we say jump don't ask how high just do it. We are trapped out here, and now we're stuck babysitting some egghead."

No one spoke up, instead, they simply looked away as though the scene wasn't happening. "I don't need any of you to babysit me. I know my way around a weapon just as much as you. Don't forget who helped build those rifles." I growled moving closer to Aaron my grip tightening on the musket.

"Enough!" Damien said his voice cutting through the argument and ending it in one fell swoop. "I will not spend all my time hearing you two bicker like children, grow up Aaron this isn't school anymore. All we have is each other now."

"He's right," Amarita said looking to Claire who nodded her head in agreement.

Looking at the others dumbfounded and shocked Aaron turned back to me. "Fine, but if something happens to him don't blame me." Walking away Aaron scanned the area. Everyone else seemed to be doing the same. The Everglades... Well quite frankly to be it was unlike anything I had ever seen or studied. Above us was a large canopy that extended as far as the eye could see and further still. From between the leaves and vines, small streams of sunlight were able to reach us, yet not enough to completely light the swamp.

From beneath the water sprung grass that was longer than Damien was tall. The water was a deep brown that had already begun to stain our jumpers and in the distance, a cacophony of sounds could be heard. Everything from whoops to the buzzing of what I could only expect to be insects flooded the swamp.

Activating the light on my pip-boy I looked down to it. The temperature was over ninety degrees Fahrenheit, and it felt like it. Felt almost as though I was being cooked inside the jumper. "Let's move out, we've wasted enough time here," Claire said. "I say we get in a single line formation. Easier to keep track of each other that way."

"Yea, Aaron you take the front, Damien the rear. Everyone watches each other. We need to complete this mission." Amarita said looking around to the others. "Nik you're our navigator." None questioned her orders and as she ordered Aaron took the lead with Damien coming up on the rear. Me? I was sandwiched between Claire and Amarita, if we weren't in such a life-threatening situation I would've thanked god for putting me between the two. Others would've killed for the opportunity. "Orlando is to the north, we'll have to go..." Stopping and examining the map on the pip-boy that was far out of date I looked to our right. "That way!"

"Better be right about this," Aaron said as he took his first steps deeper into the swamp all of us closely on his tail.


	4. A New World

Each step was accompanied by the sound of swishing water or a splash as our booted feet waded through the murky water that threatened to consume us. I had to watch where I stepped as during the march I slipped nearly three times as the ground fell out or crumbled beneath my feet. Other times I'd slip on some substance beneath the water, perhaps some insect or creature? Whatever it was I couldn't see it nor did I plan on looking for it. Looking to the canopy above I saw the streams of sunlight as it drifted through the breaches and attempted to bake us alive. We hadn't even left the vault an hour prior and everyone's jumpers were darkened by sweat.

The air that was at once filled with a rich, strong, earthly smell was now contaminated by our musk. It assaulted my nose making me want to breathe through my mouth, but that would've been worse. It was pungent enough to where one could taste it. The pits of my jumper were completely dark along with the entire back. Along the collars, it was more of the same. The humidity was so high that not even our sweat would evaporate. The heat was oppressive, wearing down on all of us.

Aaron and Damien being more active than myself were suffering worse than I was. The entire upper half of their jumpers were soaked and Aaron's blonde hair was slicked down from the mixture of sweat and humidity. Damien's bald head was literally pouring sweat and whenever a ray of sunlight hit his head just right it shined. Claire and Amarita didn't seem to sweat as much as us but it was still apparent on them. Amarita's neatly combed hair had started to become frizzy at the edges, and the front of her hairline was completely soaked. Her pits much like mine were stained and beneath her ample bosom, there were two stains drawing more attention to her chest. Claire's hair was up in a bun and her sweat had been contained to only her armpits.

Coming to a stop and leaning against a tree Aaron pulled out the standard issue Vault 84 canteen and took a long swig from it. "Don't drink too much, we don't know if we'll be able to find any clean water out here." Amarita chided him hitting Aaron on the arm. Growling Aaron capped his canteen and put it back.

Standing back and losing focus on the conversation while everyone took the break to catch their breath I looked down to my pip-boy. On the map, it showed that in the hour we'd all been walking we'd only gone a mile and a half. An all-time low, the swamp was slowing us down. If we'd been on even land, we would've probably crossed at the least three miles at this point. "We're moving too slow. At this rate, we won't reach Orlando for weeks, and that's if the swamp doesn't get worse…" Kicking at the water causing it to ripple I clenched my teeth. We were moving far too slow, I'd come on this mission, disobeyed the overseer, stolen from the Vault. All to try and find my sister and now that may have all been for naught due to how difficult it was to cross through the swamp.

Opening and closing my hands I turned away from the group as they chatted among themselves, my words had fallen on deaf ears. Closing my eyes, I forced myself to calm down. Slowing my breathing I took deep breaths and when I opened my eyes I saw something I hadn't noticed. Off to our right was a slight metallic glint, bright enough to nearly blind you if you looked into the glare. My curiosity getting the better of me I waded through the water towards whatever the object was. It wasn't till I was already a few meters away from the group that they noticed me leaving. "Nik where are you going?!"

"No, let him go. We don't need him, any of us can read a map."

"Shut the fuck up! You've had a dick up your ass since he's joined us. The overseer sent him, and I don't care what type of masculinity problems you have that makes you think you can push him ar-" At this point, I tuned out the argument and continued walking on. The closer I got to the object the clearer it became. What started as just a glint of metal took the all too familiar cylindrical shape. Within that cylinder and protruding from the water was a skeletal arm. The fingers were extended as if whoever had died was reaching out for something.

The breath was ripped from my lungs as I looked upon the arm, meat still clung to the bones, maggots still crawled upon it. My heartrate picked up now beating rapidly in my chest out of sheer shock and fear. "I found somebody!" I shouted back, whatever argument had been happening in my absence had to have been stopped as the sounds of approaching splashes of water could be heard. Approaching the corpse, I leaned down examining the pip-boy. It was covered in a thick moss, but the screen was still on showing the biometrics of the dead figure. As you'd expect it showed that all the individuals life signs had flatlined and that a majority of the bones were broken or shattered. Most of all the skull.

Reaching out I worked on the pip-boys lock mechanism to pry it free. The only way to identify the body would see who the item had been issued to. Every portion of me prayed that it wasn't Serah, that this was not my sister's body I was defiling.

I heard the others as they approached then with them there was a faint squeal that started but was quickly silenced. "Nik… We need you to come back to us now."

"Hold on, just a bit more." The lock had been rusted shut and it was taking all my strength to work away at the metal, so much so that I had completely toned out all my surroundings that was till I heard a faint hissing. A hissing that sent a chill descending down my spine. You know that fear where your heart stops and you can't speak? That's what I felt as the hissing became louder. From the trees above I heard a slithering that was now all too apparent.

"Nik run!" Amarita screamed.

Obeying I snatched one final time at the pip-boy. This time it broke free, but only because the skeletal arm had snapped off with it. The force I had yanked flung me away from the area as a massive creature fell from the trees above to land where I had once been. This was unlike anything I had ever seen in any of the history books or reading material. I'd heard about snakes, but none such as this. The creatures body was long and a slick black, the scales with a triangular pattern with patches of gray. It was as wide as two cows standing side by side and its mouth would've been capable of swallowing Damien whole.

I stared directly into this large maw as it opened revealing four large fangs that were about the size of Claire's arm. "FUCK!" I screamed scrambling backward through the mud and water trying to put as much space between me and the beast as I could. In my right hand, I clasped onto the pip-boy and it was hampering me due to the arm still attached to it.

The massive snake's body coiled as its upper half reared back preparing to strike. "FIRE!" Aaron bellowed and over my head, I saw at first one red bolt that struck the snakes body. The bolt drew a sharp hiss from the creature leaving a small burn mark on its body. Another bolt followed, and with it this time more came. Bolt after bolt struck the creatures body. I was frozen in horror, almost like the snake had turned me to stone. My legs were jelly and my arms wanted to give out.

Joining the laser bolts was a loud thoom. It was the sound of Damien's shotgun. As the slug pounded into the snake's body the creature flailed backward. This was the first major sign of damage as a chunk of meat was blown out of the snake. There was the sound of the shotgun being pumped before another shot was fired. This one took off a portion of the snakes' jaw.

Feeling a heavy grip on the back of my collar that yanked me to my feet I saw Damien standing at my side. The man's eyes were filled with a fierce fire, a determination that I could only admire. He fired again, this one hitting the snake between the eyes. With a final hiss of defeat, the creature began a hasty retreat. Behind it what was once brown water was now dyed red.

I could barely breathe; my mouth was suddenly dry and I felt on the verge of tears. "Thank you." I gasped out to Damien.

"Now you owe me… Don't go off alone again, we can't risk losing you."

With the threat of the massive predator gone the others came closer. The first to reach me was Amarita who slapped me. The slap wasn't a playful one, no this one had power and emotion behind it. So much so that my cheek stung. There was a whistle from someone but I didn't know who. "Who told you to wander off from the group like that?! You could've been killed! What was so important that you would do that?!" Amarita asked. Her eyebrows furrowed, hands on her hips and her eyes glaring at me like an upset parent.

"I found a corpse… One with a pip-boy." Holding up the pip-boy I realized that somehow the skeletal arm had slipped free during the tussle with the snake and I didn't know where it had gotten to.

Eyes widening Amarita looked at it. "Is it operational?"

"Somewhat, I'll have to work on it to figure out who's it was but I don't want to do it here." Looking back at the trail of blood I swallowed. It hurt to do so as my throat felt like a dessert.

"You're right we've wasted enough time and we need to keep moving. Everybody reload, keep your weapons at the ready. We need to be ready. If there was one there will be more. No more single file either. We'll do pairs. Me and Aaron at the front, Damien, and Claire in the back. Nik, you continue to navigate and see if you can work on that pip-boy while we're moving. If there's anything useful on it. A final recording or something we need to hear it. Any information in this situation is better than none."

"Yes, mam!" We all said in unison. That's when it became clear why Amarita had been chosen. She was a natural born leader. She had her head on straight and she knew how to get people to respond to her commands. It was an impressive trait, one I craved. It seemed I was nothing but a hindrance as once again I was placed in the middle and delegated to the menial task of navigating and fixing the pip-boy.

Taking up formation I cast one more look back at the way the snake had fled. My thoughts were now dominated by what else we could run into out here in the wilds of the Everglades. We'd learned about all sorts of insects, creatures, and mammals that had once lived out here… During the times before the bombs dropped the Everglades were a dangerous place. If all the creatures that once resided there had become mutated in some way like the snake we'd be in for one hell of a fight. It began to make sense why we hadn't heard back from the other survivors. This was a suicide mission.


	5. What Once Was

Many hours had passed since our encounter with the mutated serpent, yet even now I felt a deep-seated fear that it would return, that it would come back to finish what it had started. The others had to have been thinking the same as me. Aaron and Amarita led the expedition their pip-boy lights activated casting a dim blue glow on the swamp around us. It was easy to tell it was becoming late as the light that had been filtered through the canopy above slowly began to fade till now we were nearly bathed in darkness except for the light our pip-boys cast. Usually the light is a sickly green but with the sheer amount of moss upon the trees, brown water and foliage it would've been washed out. Hence, we'd all changed to a light blue. Amarita and Aaron had barely lowered their weapons since the encounter with the mutated serpent or as I had begun to call it, The basilisk. I remembered stories in which snakes of abnormal size were usually called basilisk's but those had been fantasy. This was real life and now they truly existed. Feeling a chill retreat down my spine I looked back to check on Damien and Claire.

Damien cradled the shotgun in both of his large hands, he was ready to blow anything that popped its head up away. Claire on the other hand had her weapon slightly lowered but her body was tense, her head constantly on a swivel. She seemed to be the most aware out of the entire group. Me? I wasn't tasked with holding some position to defend the group, nor was I its leader. I was just the navigator and the technician. Even now I held the spare pip-boy that we'd retrieved from the skeletal corpse in my hands. My stomach still turned at the thought of what could've possibly killed the individual. My first instinct screamed that it had been the basilisk but that was all too wrong. Snakes were known to eat their food whole, there would've been nothing left if it had been the basilisk. No... It was something else that had killed them.

"How far in are we?" Amarita whispered back to me forcing my mind back to the reality of the situation. It was getting late and eventually we'd have to camp out. We hadn't eaten since embarking from the vault, nor had we stopped to rest except for a few minutes at a time. That wouldn't be enough. I could feel my legs burning from exhaustion, every step I wanted to collapse, the sweat stains were so much now that my entire jumper was a darker color of blue, the same was for the others of the group. If I had more energy I would've admired how they clung to the tight figures of Amarita and Claire.

Looking at the map on my own pip-boy I shook my head. We were only ten miles into a trip that would force us to travel into the hundreds and that was if we were able to take a straight path. We were going slower due to not only the cautious pace but the swamp which had significantly slowed our progress. It was so late now that the swamp was alive with sound. The chittering of insects climbing up and down trees, the sound of splashing water and even a few snarls and hisses in the distance. The night was far more dangerous than the day. "We're nowhere near, only ten miles in… Not only that but its getting dark fast and we'll have to find some place to rest."

"I'd hate to agree with him, but he's right. I'm starving and can't keep going like this." Aaron growled never taking his eyes off what was in front of him.

"Well, what do you expect us to do? We can't just sleep right here, where would we sleep? The water is up to our ankles." Claire whispered back while the ever-stoic Damien nodded his head in agreement.

"I think I have an idea…" I chimed in looking down to my pip-boy. As they had been created and programmed before the bombs dropped they had maps of what the planet used to be like and held the landmarks that used to exist. "We'll be entering the city of Miami soon enough, or at least one of the towns on its borders… Perhaps we find a place to stay there? The city was known for its skyscrapers and its cityscape, if any buildings survived we can possibly camp out in them may even be able to clean ourselves."

Looking back to me and then the others around Amarita spoke clearly this time. "Well let's bring it to a vote, we can either continue straight on our path or we can go through Miami if anything I'd rather take my chances with a city than try to rest in a swamp."

"Same, I'd rather not risk being eaten in my sleep by some gigantic snake." Aaron said.

"Hmm… I don't know." Damien said looking to Claire to see what she had to say.

The blonde seemed just as troubled by the prospect of going through a city, but at the same time, it was obvious she disliked the idea of staying in the swamp. "We might as well take our chances with the city. If anything, it at least gives us the chance to clean ourselves."

Nodding her head Amarita looked to me, despite looking exhausted and drenched in sweat she was still a sight to behold. "The vote has been made. Which way to Miami?"

"North East," I said having to force the words out through my drying mouth. Reaching to my belt and lifting the vault 84 canteen to my lips I let the cool water flow down my gullet. I sucked on it draining more water like a baby from their mothers' breast. My thirst could not be quenched from a simple sip. It was only when a dribble of water flowed down my chin that I stopped.

"You heard him let's move."

Once again taking up formation and moving caution was thrown slightly to the wind as we picked up pace. It was hard on my body, every muscle cried for me to just take a break and sit down but we were all too close to our goal to give up now. It was too dark to continue to stay in the swamp, if we did I had a creeping suspicion that something horrible would happen. The further we went towards our goal the more the swamp thinned out.

Soon enough our feet were no longer submerged in water and we weren't forced to walk on mud, instead beneath our feet was solid concrete. The concrete was heavily damaged but it still held it was still strong enough to bear our weight. Looking off to our right and left I saw what could've once been homes that had been submerged in a mixture of moss or claimed by the swamp. The canopy that was above us broke as we entered the remnants of Miami and as I looked upon what remained of the city I found myself awed. The swamp was only a few feet behind us and the majority of the city was still quite a bit off but that open stretch of road leading into it was something I never thought I'd see. We'd always watched films or read stories about the cities of the old world, but seeing it in person was a completely different thing. Even with the damage, it had suffered, and the degradation that had taken place the city was still a site to see.

Skyscrapers reached high into the sky as though they pierced the clouds themselves, there were no visible lights in the city but the light from the stars and moon above cast a glow that made me wonder what the city had once been like in its prime.

"Wow…" Claire said voicing what all of us were feeling.

"Never imagined it would still be in such good shape…" Amarita said looking back to me as if I had some input on the city or was a living encyclopedia for the group.

Shaking my head, I continued to stare on. "While the Gulf Commonwealth was bombed, it seems like we didn't suffer that bad." Shrugging I looked to Claire and Damien who had begun moving away from the group and towards a Red Rocket build on the side of the road. "What happened to staying together?" I called out loud to look back and see Amarita and Aaron joining them. Sighing I shrugged and followed.

The Red Rocket was supposed to be one of the most common gas stations across The United Commonwealth. From the large size of it, I guessed this was one of the more popular ones. The gas station had around ten pumps outside of it and on its roof, the rocket was planted. Extending out far further than it realistically should have was the roof which offered shade around the building and over what once could've been a patio area. The iron fences that had once closed it off were bent at odd and unnatural angles and what few tables and chairs remained were nothing but shattered remnants of their former selves. On the far-right hand side of the building was a garage area and within it a broken down Chryslus Corvega, a four-door sedan model. Of course, it wasn't functional, what had once been red paint was now a rusted brown, two of the doors were missing and all the tires were gone. Even then it had been close to two centuries since the vehicle had been used or repaired so the work one would have to do to repair it wouldn't be worth it. Searching for functional parts alone could possibly take weeks.

The group stood around the thing admiring it though. Within the work area there was, however, a tool bench with an array of tools on its shelves, just what I needed to finish my work on the pip-boy, moving over to the bench I grabbed the first flat head screwdriver I saw and went to prying the panel off the pip-boy I had recovered. "We might as well stay here for the night, it's already dark and we're right outside the city. If we wanted to we could scavenge it tomorrow. " I suggested as I got to work examining the innards of the pip-boy. Strewn out before me were wires and a large motherboard which was still connected to the screen.

"You're right. But we better search the rest of the building. Claire stay here with Nik. The rest with me, I'd rather not have any other surprises tonight while we sleep." Amarita said. Her weapon wasn't at the ready anymore however, she had visibly eased but there was still a sense of disbelief in her voice. As they left I looked back to Claire who sat on the hood of the Chryslus her laser rifle between her legs.

"So… Been awhile huh?" I asked trying to make conversation with Claire. We had all been through school together and were around the same age. Claire was one of the more popular kids, you'd think that being couped up in a vault would destroy concepts like popularity but it didn't. Claire was one of the most athletic people in the vault and most admired.

"Yea, it has. Mr. Jacksons class, right?"

"Mmhmm, surprised you remember me. Haven't seen you since we took the GOAT and were given our duties."

Scoffing Claire shook her head. "Of course, you didn't you were off in your cush job in the lab."

"It wasn't all jokes and games, running the Vault was important to our survival."

"I… I kn-"Stopping short Claire stared straight forward as across the street there came a heavy thump. So, loud that my head snapped around and my heart skipped a beat. Coming towards the Red Rocket was a group of six individuals. They all wore a mix-match of clothes except for one, he was drabbed in Power Armor. What model I couldn't tell from the distance between us. It was obvious it had seen many trials due to the burn and pock marks that littered what few metal plates remained on the frame.

"Hey! We think someone lives here!" Amarita shouted as she burst back into the garage to see the dumbfounded looks on me and Claire's face. My attention now on Amarita I saw her lips moving but the sound didn't come out to me. Instead, I saw her mouth moving telling me to get down. Obeying I hit the deck as I heard a faint whirring and was greeted by the scent of seared flesh. It assaulted my nose making me want to gag and an instant later I heard a loud thump next to me. It was wet and I could feel a warm liquid touching my body. Looking over I saw a hole in the center of Claire's skull. All around the flesh was blackened and blood oozed out onto the floor.


End file.
